


Let Him Hold You Tight

by moonflowers



Category: Kingsman (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Not spies, Background James/Percival, Background Roxy/Gazelle, Charlie is awful, Domestic, Drunk Sex, Escort Harry, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Family, Fluff, Happy Ending, M/M, Mentions of past abuse because Dean, Past Eggsy/Charlie, RomCom levels of cheesy, Romance, Sharing a Bed, Wedding Date AU, Weddings, i mean obviously, very mild angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-07
Updated: 2017-06-08
Packaged: 2018-09-30 16:10:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 17,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10166798
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonflowers/pseuds/moonflowers
Summary: Eggsy's best mate is getting married, and fucked if he's turning up to her big day without a date. Unfortunately, he's very much single. So he hires Kingsman escort Harry Hart to pose as his partner for the big day to get his mum and his mates off his back, and maybe just a little bit to show his ex what he's missing. Only problem is, Harry does such a good job of pretending the two of them are head over heels for each other, that Eggsy starts to believe him.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Once again, I'm doing a fic nobody asked for, instead of finishing the ones people actually have. Loosely based on the film The Wedding Date - which actually has Jack Davenport in it, although his character is about as far away from Lancelot as you can get - but you don't need to have seen it to get this. Although I had the idea a year ago, I only wrote this today, so it's... not edited as much as it should have been. I just got impatient and wanted to post it right now.
> 
> Title from the Drifters/Buble song Save the Last Dance For Me. It's used in the film and I like it anyway, so.

Eggsy knocked on the door of the house on Stanhope Mews, and wondered if it was too late to change his mind. He'd never been one to run when things got difficult though, and after all the other shit he'd been through, he was hardly going to let _this_ be the thing that changed that. All the same, when he heard the footsteps approaching on the other side of the door, he was sorely tempted to dive behind one of the massive potted plants either side of the doorstep and hope he wouldn't be seen. The door opened to reveal one Harry Hart, just as handsome as his picture, which somehow made Eggsy even more agitated. He must have been able to tell that Eggsy was absolutely shitting it by the look on his face, because his own expression softened into a smile, and he held out his hand. "Mr Unwin, I presume."

"Eggsy," he said as he hurried to stop gaping and shake the hand offered, "everyone'll be calling me Eggsy, so..."

"Alright," Harry said, "Eggsy it is. In which case, I suppose you'd best call me Harry."

"Yeah," Eggsy nodded, withdrew his hand and fought the urge to shove it back into his pocket, "yeah, safe. You, err," he jerked his head at the taxi waiting for them at the kerb, "you ready to go?"

"Of course," Harry stepped outside and locked the door behind him. Eggsy wondered whether he should offer to carry his bag or something, but there was no way of asking without sounding like a complete tit, and by the time he'd finished dithering over it, Harry was already halfway to the car.

Once they were both in the the taxi and he'd made sure the partition to the driver was securely closed, Eggsy got down to business. "A'ight, here's the money then bruv," he said, handing over an envelope containing more cash that he wanted to think about, keen to get that part over and done. "Count it if you want."

Harry declined, taking the envelope with a nod and tucking it into his jacket. "I'm sure everything's satisfactory."

"Fine," Eggsy said, though it irritated him that Harry didn't seem bothered. It was hardly a small sum of money - left over from the compensation he and his mum had been awarded after the road accident that had killed his father seventeen years ago. Now that they had a decent flat, his stepdad was back out of the picture, they'd set aside a chunk of it for Daisy, and Eggsy had a steady income, it had been more or less gathering dust in his account, and this seemed a good enough cause to spend it on as any. 

"And you're aware that anything of a sexual nature will be extra?"

"Won't be necessary mate," Eggsy said with a brash smile to hide how awkward he felt about it. Harry was fit - he wouldn't have picked him if he wasn't - but that wouldn't be happening. Paying Harry to pretend they were fucking was one thing, but the thought of actually paying for it left a sour taste in his mouth. Something to do with the years he'd spent with Dean threatening to make him sell his arse alongside being told over and over again how worthless doing so would make him, probably. There wasn't a day went by he wasn't glad that bastard was finally behind bars.

"As you say," Harry minutely adjusted his already straight tie. "I have of course read through the instructions you added to the contract, but if you'd like to go through them again in person?"

"Yeah, that's probably a good shout," Eggsy cleared his throat. "Right, so, short version - my best mate's gettin' married, I'm her best man, and fucked if I'm turning up without a date to her week-long wedding extravaganza, yeah?"

"I'm with you so far."

"And the second reason - " he hesitated, not sure how to say it in a way that didn't make him sound like a twat.

"To rub your apparent happiness in the face of an undeserving ex-boyfriend?" Harry said, blinking innocently, only the barest curve of his mouth giving his amusement away.

Eggsy snorted a laugh into the sleeve of his jacket. "That's about it, yeah." 

To be honest, Eggsy hadn't fancied dating at all since he and Charlie had split last year, and as he'd already told Harry, the idea of showing up alone to Rox's wedding was a big no fucking thank you. Despite the messy end to things, Charlie would still be attending the wedding as a friend of the family, and Eggsy wasn't going to miss the chance to look blissfully fucking happy in front of the prick. Piss him off a bit, ruffle his feathers. That on it's own might have sounded a bit childish, but it wasn't the only reason he'd sought out Kingsman and booked Harry's services for the week. A big part of it was to finally get his mum and Rox off his back about his disinterest in dating. He knew they just wanted to see him happy, but what with all the talk about love and weddings and shite, they'd be more up his arse about it than normal, and he really couldn't bring himself to keep smiling and shake it off yet again. And yeah alright, he was getting a little bit lonely, what of it? 

"Noted."

"Oh shit, we're here," Eggsy said as the taxi pulled up in front of the fancy hotel Roxy and her fiance had picked out for the occasion. "If anyone asks, just say we met through work, yeah?" He hadn't bothered to come up with the specifics, he just hoped no one asked in any more detail.

"We may need something more than that if you wish to be convincing," Harry said as he unfolded himself elegantly out of the car.

"Yeah I know," Eggsy said, grabbing the bags out of the boot, "but we can worry about that later, we're already late."

They just about had time to pick up their room key - the whole wedding party would be staying at the hotel for the days leading up to the wedding, which seemed a bit excessive to Eggsy, but whatever - and hand their luggage to a porter before legging it to the bar for the scheduled evening drinks. Roxy was waiting for him among the chattering friends and family, as impeccably turned out as ever, tapping a neatly painted nail against her champagne flute. 

"Hey Rox," he said when they approached, and she immediately pulled him into a hug, almost sloshing her drink everywhere in the process.

"What time do you call this, Unwin?" she huffed when she released him and punched him lightly on the arm. "It's not like you to be late." 

"Sorry," he said with a smile, "had to pick up Harry on the way."

With perfect timing, Harry stepped forward. "An honour to meet you at last, Miss Morton," Harry said, gently taking her hand to kiss the back of it, "I've heard ever so much about you."

Roxy blinked at him a moment before looking at Eggsy in surprise. "Lovely to meet you too Harry," she said, "though Eggsy's certainly kept you quiet. We didn't even know he was seeing anyone until last week."

"We only recently made things official," Harry said smoothly, and _fucking hell_ this bloke was a God send.

"In that case, I'm very glad you could make it," Roxy said, sipping at her drink, "it must have been a bit short notice."

"I assure you, the pleasure's all mine, Miss Morton."

"Oh please, call me Roxy."

"Of course," Harry inclined his head.

It was then that Roxy's fiance swept over, appearing seemingly from nowhere as she was prone to do, and informed Roxy that her uncles needed a word. Eggsy liked her - she'd made Rox the happiest girl in the world, so how could he not - but she still unnerved him from time to time when she pulled that ninja shit.

"Alright, Gazzy," Roxy said, setting her empty glass on the bar and leaning up to kiss Eggsy's cheek. "I'm glad you're here, Eggs. See you two later." 

He hugged her again, careful not to wrinkle her dress too much because of the bollocking he knew he'd get for it. "See you in a bit, Rox."

"I wish the two of you all the happiness in the world," Harry said. It was the sort of thing that Eggsy would have sounded a total knob if he'd said it, but with Harry it sounded perfectly sincere, and even made Gazzy's lip twitch up in a pleased smile. Roxy grinned and thanked him, before she took her fiance's hand and was whisked off across the room. 

"First hurdle managed successfully, I believe," Harry said smugly, before turning to order them some drinks. 

"Yeah," Eggsy agreed, "that was pretty fucking smooth, mate."

"I'm well practised."

"Yeah," Eggsy's smile faded a little despite himself, "yeah I guess you would be."

After knocking back a drink, Eggsy thought he just as well bite the bullet and drag Harry around to meet a few people and get it over with. One small mercy of the whole thing was that his mum wasn't there - what with Daisy still being so little, she'd decided it would be easier to stay at home than the hotel, seeing as it wasn't too far. But any relief he was feeling about that was swiftly countered by the fact that Harry had apparently gone to school with Roxy's uncles. Eggsy resisted the urge to crawl under the table and stay there when the men came face to face and looked at each other with startled recognition. Of all the fucking coincidences...

"Harry!" James bellowed with his usual brash enthusiasm. "I haven't heard from you in years. How the devil are you?"

"Well enough, thank you James," Harry said as they shook hands. "The two of you still going steady, I see."

"I'm not sure if steady is quite the right word," said Percy - the two of them were well known for their intense and over-dramatic but always short-lived disagreements. Eggsy been caught up in the middle of one or two while he'd been over at their place with Rox, and it wasn't a pretty sight, "but we're certainly going."

"It must be twenty years, at least," said Harry.

"Nineteen, actually," said Percy, "for my sins."

"Good Lord," Harry seemed genuinely happy for his old friends, though Eggsy was still learning the difference between his performance smile and his real one. "You must be terribly proud of Roxanne."

"Couldn't be prouder," James said with a grin, squeezing Percy's shoulder.

"It's not all as it should be, of course," Percy said, smile tight, "but hopefully we'll do." Roxy had lost her parents while she was very young; she'd told Eggsy once that she could barely even remember them. But her Uncle Percy and his partner James had taken her in and loved her fiercely ever since. 

"Oi, none of that," Eggsy said. "It's sad yeah, but you two are the best she could ever ask for." He meant it.

"Thank you, Eggsy," Percy said. "But you're quite right, enough of that, I think. What are you doing with yourself these days Harry?"

"I'm a tailor," Harry said without missing a beat.

"You always did have an eye for a good suit old chap," James winked. "And how did you meet our Eggsy?"

"An ad in the Yellow Pages," Harry said before Eggsy could blurt out the thin fabrication of 'from work.' He didn't have time to do more than gape at Harry in outrage before James burst into laughter and clapped Harry on the shoulder.

"Still got that keen sense of humour, eh?" he said. "Wait a bloody moment, does Merlin know you're here?" Eggsy felt Harry stiffen beside him. "The two of you still see each other now and then, if I'm not mistaken."

"Yes, you're quite right," Harry said. "But I imagine he doesn't know. I wasn't at all aware of the connection between Eggsy and you lot." 

"In that case, we'll send him your way when we see him," Percy said. "But we'd best get back to mingling."

"Even though he hates it," James kissed his husband's cheek and ruffled his hair while Percy batted him away like an unhappy cat, before he let James drag him off into the crowd. "We'll catch up with you later."

"Jesus fuck Harry," Eggsy hissed as soon as they were gone, "you didn't think to tell me you knew Roxy's family beforehand?"

"I wasn't aware my old school friends happened to be Miss Morton's family until all of ten minutes ago, Eggsy," Harry said, obviously irked by Eggsy's lashing out at him for the unforeseen problem. "It's an unfortunate coincidence, but I'm sure we'll manage. I haven't seen James or Percival for years, there's no reason for them to guess at our arrangement."

"Yeah, I guess," Eggsy sighed, already feeling guilty about jumping to conclusions. "Sorry, I know it's not your fault, I just - this is more stressful than I thought it would be."

"No need to apologise my dear boy," Harry said, "I should have done my research more thoroughly."

"Nah it's fine, I - oh shit."

"What is it?"

"Charlie," Eggsy said, eyes fixed on where his ex had just walked up to the bar. As though he could feel Eggsy's attention on him, Charlie's eyes snapped across to them. Eggsy immediately plastered himself to Harry's side, grateful when Harry took the hint and put an arm around him, even going so far as to press a kiss to the top of his head. He wasn't sure what he'd been expecting, but when all Charlie did was sneer and turn back to the bar, it all felt a bit anticlimactic. Suddenly exhausted by the thought of it all, Eggsy headed over to the balcony to get some air, Harry dutifully following him. It was going to be a long fucking week.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I gave myself the day off responsibilities to faff about with this to de-stress a bit, so who knows when the next part will be.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For anyone who's not sure what I'm on about, rounders is sort of like a low key version of baseball, and all we ever did in school PE lessons in the summer. Also for Gazelle's surname I borrowed the name of the actress who plays her, because it's lovely.

It was a relief to get to the relative safety of their hotel room, away from the raised eyebrows at Harry's hand on the small of his back, the giggling clusters of older ladies eyeing him with interest. Or it was, until Harry excused himself to take a shower, and Eggsy was left alone facing the expanse of inoffensive coral-coloured duvet spread over the double bed. He'd known it was coming - obviously Rox would have booked him a double room when he confirmed he'd be bringing a guest last minute, but what had sounded fine on paper wasn't so simple in practice. _Shit._ Despite the closed door and the sound of water running, Eggsy let himself into the bathroom. He sat on the closed lid of the loo while Harry was in the shower, swinging his legs back and forth and feeling about five, and trying not to look at the shadowy outline of a bollock naked Harry behind the translucent shower curtain.

"Um, Harry?"

"I'm rather in the middle of something Eggsy, if you don't mind."

"Do you sleep naked?" That... wasn't exactly what he'd meant to say. Fucking hell. Not that it seemed to phase Harry at all.

"No actually, I'm a pyjama man through and through. Though I'm afraid I don't see what that has to do with anything."

"We gotta share the bed." He made himself look down at the black and white tiles on the bathroom floor instead of the blurry figure stretching up to rinse the shampoo from his hair on the other side of the curtain.

"Well yes, I assumed that would be the case," Harry said after a pause, presumably to wipe the water from his face. "Comes part and parcel with the rest. Were you not expecting to?"

"Yeah, but - " he sighed, his pathetic and defensive excuse of _'it's different now we're actually here'_ dying on his tongue - "I just wanted to make sure you was okay with it."

"I promise to keep my hands to myself if you will," said Harry dryly, and shut off the water.

Eggsy snorted, looking up at the rustle of the shower curtain, "no worries there mate."

"Excellent," Harry said, and pulled the curtain back.

"Jesus fuck - " Eggsy bit out, and quickly looked back down at the floor, away from the very wet and very naked man standing in front of him. He could feel his face heating up - he'd always been quick to blush, unfortunately - though he was at a bit of a loss as to why. It was just a dick, for fuck's sake. Wasn't like he hadn't seen one before.

"You've paid for it Eggsy, you can look all you wish," Harry said through a smug smile before he slid past Eggsy to grab a towel from the rack.

"That's not - I mean you look - oh for fuck's sake Harry." Eggsy gave up entirely on trying to smooth it all over and stomped off back into the bedroom. "It ain't happening," he called out as he grabbed all the spare pillows he could reach, lumping them all together down the middle of the bed to make a sort of barrier between the two sides. 

"Yes Eggsy, you've made that clear enough," Harry called back, amusement obvious in his voice, "your virtue is quite safe."

"Bit late for that, bruv," he muttered into the pillow he was gripping, but somehow Harry still heard.

"Please refrain from calling me that," he said. "If nothing else, it makes it sound as though we're acquaintances, more than lovers."

"Well we ain't 'lovers' are we," said Eggsy. The word sat strangely in his mouth.

"No, but if you want those people downstairs to believe that we are, you'd best stop doing it," said Harry as he switched off the bathroom light and stepped into the bedroom.

"Fine," Eggsy huffed as he turned to face him, "what do want me to - " he cut himself off when he caught sight of Harry in his promised pyjamas, a deep navy blue that clung in all the best ways, a soft satiny sheen to the fabric hat made Eggsy want to rub himself all over it like a needy cat.

"Shall we?" Harry eyed Eggsy's freshly constructed Great Wall of Pillows with exasperation, but didn't say another word before climbing under the covers, lying to face the wall. Eggsy quickly stripped down to his boxers and clambered into the bed, switching off the bedside lamp and leaving the room dim and hazy.

It wasn't so easy to get to sleep as he'd been hoping after the fucking exhausting day. Honestly, Eggsy was still all a flutter from the unexpected events of his evening with Harry, and the fact that he'd actually gone through with it and hired him at all. He stared up at the ceiling, absently following the curves of the moulding around the light fixtures with his eye, very aware of other man on the opposite side of the mattress. 

"Harry?"

"Yes, Eggsy?"

"Sorry about earlier. I didn't think - I had no idea you'd know Roxy's family."

"Neither did I. But I assure you it's quite forgiven. I've endured much worse from relatives at wedding parties than that."

"Yeah? Like what?" 

"Sorry Eggsy, classified."

"Do you do a lot of weddings?" He tried instead.

"I have done," Harry's voice was muffled into the pillow, "though they're usually only one or two days affairs, not like this one."

"Right. And do you only... escort blokes, or do you do birds as well?"

"Eggsy."

"Yeah?"

"I don't wish to talk about my work right now, thank you," said Harry shortly.

"Okay. You got any pets?"

At that, Harry rolled over to face him, hair ruffled out of place and frown etched deep across his forehead. "What?"

"You said you didn't wanna talk about work," he said, innocently.

"You are incorrigible," Harry sighed into his hands then rolled heavily back over to face away from him again. "Yes. I have a dog."

"What's it's name?"

Harry was silent for long enough that Eggsy didn't think he was going to answer "Mr Pickle."

"Mr Pickle?" He said gleefully, leaning up on his elbow. "Are you serious? Harry? Harry?"

 

~

 

"Looks like we're fielding first then," Eggsy said with a slightly forced smile, "you didn't have to play y'know." The look he gave Harry was slightly uncertain, as though he didn't think he was up to the task, which only made Harry more determined to prove his assumption incorrect.

"I'm well aware," he said, "but I'd like to."

Eggsy shrugged, still doubtful. "If you're sure."

"Of course," Harry ducked his head to brush a light kiss to Eggsy's cheek. Small exchanges of affection in front of the others was all a pre-discussed part of the deal, but he heard Eggsy's sharp intake of breath at the touch all the same. He'd have to get over that, if they were to be convincing.

"See you in a bit, yeah?" Eggsy said, a little pink in the face, before he rushed off to take his position as bowler.

The next day of Miss Morton and Miss Boutella's wedding marathon consisted of a game of rounders in the park. Harry had been planning on politely excusing himself to leave the younger members of the wedding party to it, dignity intact. But upon seeing Charlie Hesketh puffing out his chest and embarking on a series of over-exaggerated stretches that were highly unnecessary for a casual game of rounders, while Eggsy looked on with his lovely face scrunched up in distaste, he'd changed his mind. All thoughts of gracefully retiring to the sidelines to catch up with Merlin, James and Percy had been banished in the face of Mr Hesketh's showboating. As far as Harry was concerned, the entire purpose of his being there was to make it look as though he and Eggsy were blissfully happy together in the presence of his friends and family, and that objective could not be met if Eggsy was being distracted by the childish antics of his unfortunate ex-boyfriend. And Harry practically had a degree in peacocking himself - fucked if he was going to be outshone by that little bugger.

It being Harry and Eggsy's team's turn to field first, Harry could viably stand a little to the side out of the fray, and have the conversation with Merlin that the latter had clearly been itching to have since he'd spotted Harry at the reception yesterday. There was no point in pretending it hadn't been a shock to find his old friend was also a guest at the wedding - more so than James and Percy. Once he'd gotten over the surprise though, he'd decided it would be a rather pleasant excuse to catch up with them all properly, as long as neither he nor Eggsy gave the game away. Not that Harry would of course, he was nothing if not the best. The most obvious fly in the ointment was that Merlin was well aware of what he did for a living. Not that he would give them away either - he might have been a grouchy old bugger when the mood struck, but he was a loyal one, and he loved a good bit of scandalous gossip. Which this undeniably would be, if it did somehow get out. 

"You didn't mention you were doing a wedding when I saw you last month," Merlin said as they stood together at the edge of the field, no reproach in his voice, just making an observation.

"Yes well, it really was all rather last minute," Harry said, watching as Roxanne smacked the ball across the pitch, making it to third base before the ball was thrown back to Eggsy, "I didn't know myself until last week. And it wasn't as though I was expecting you to be here either." He vaguely recalled Merlin making an offhand mention of the wedding of a friend he'd be attending in the summer on one of the occasions they'd met up for drinks, but he couldn't have known it would be the very same one he'd been hired to escort Eggsy to.

"I see," said Merlin. "Well, good luck to you. I can assure you nobody will be hearing anything from me."

"Thank you," said Harry, though he'd assumed as much. "Do you know Mr Hesketh at all?" he asked as Charlie stepped up to bat. He knew nothing other than what little Eggsy had told him along with his own observations, and it might be useful to have a little more background on him.

"Not particularly. Seems a bit over entitled and up his own arse," said Merlin, arms folded and frowning against the glare of the sun, never one to mince words. "All I know is that he's a friend of Roxy's, and I think I remember James saying that he had a bit of a nasty break up last year - " he stopped short as he put the pieces together. "With Eggsy, I presume."

"Yes," Harry said as Gazzy hit the ball impossibly far, and took off around the field like lightening to score a rounder. "I believe a part of the reason I'm here is to demonstrate how thoroughly Eggsy is over it."

"Naturally," Merlin nodded as Roxy launched herself at her fiance to congratulate her on her success, before the teams swapped over positions. 

Eggsy stepped up to bat first, and Charlie took over his position as bowler. The former was making a rather obvious show of himself as he took the bat, deliberately trying to look sexy - and succeeding, actually - curving his back and sticking his arse out far more than was necessary, smiling innocently out from under his cap as he raised the bat. He supposed it was meant as a provocation to annoy Charlie, but Harry couldn't have said whether it was successful or not, because he had eyes only for Eggsy.

He realised he'd been caught in the act of eyeing him up when Merlin looked hard at him and said, "does Eggsy know that I'm aware of your career?"

"No."

"Are you going to tell him?"

"No."

"...I see."

"Please don't choose now of all times to begin judging me, Merlin," Harry said, raising a hand to shield his eyes from the sun as he watched Eggsy dash across the field. "It's rather too late."

"Did he not think to question you when James first let on that the two of us are acquainted?"

"No. That was the moment his ex-boyfriend chose to appear, so I was let off the hook."

"For the time being," Merlin said. "But he seems a sharp lad, he'll clock on eventually."

"Why should it matter? He knows you and I are friends, and that's all he needs to know. To discover that you're aware he's paying for my company would only set him on edge even more, which is the last thing the boy needs right now," said Harry, the resolute defensiveness of his own voice taking him by surprise. "And it would hardly be good for business," he added, though it was probably too late.

"Jesus Christ."

"What now?"

"You care about him don't you?" Merlin eyed him shrewdly, and Harry cursed his friend for being so attuned to his mannerisms.

"I care about getting a job done and getting it done well," said Harry sharply, "and that's all there is to it. Now if you'll excuse me, I believe it's my turn to bat."

Without another word to Merlin, he strode off to take his turn. He was dreadfully competitive, a trait he chose to view as a virtue rather than the flaw Merlin often made it out to be, and naturally he smacked the ball right across the field, easily running around all four bases to score a rounder, much to the surprise of the rest of the team.

"That was fucking brilliant Harry," Eggsy said, breathless and grinning as the rest of the team hollered their approval of Eggsy's new boyfriend's hidden talents. 

"I know," Harry said, bolstered by the adrenaline and the knowledge that Mr Hesketh would surely be watching them, and swept Eggsy up into his arms for a celebratory kiss. It was gentle and only brief, as Harry didn't wish to overstep what he knew Eggsy was comfortable with in terms of their charade. If it was a show of happiness and new relationship lust Eggsy wanted, then Harry would of course provide. He felt the very moment Eggsy tensed up in surprise before accepting it, catching on and kissing him back, still quick, but harder than Harry had dared to. He smelt of suncream and too much Lynx deodorant, the grass stains on his knees. It still caught him unawares though, when Eggsy snuck a hand down to make a quick grab at Harry's backside amidst the wolf-whistling - most likely from James - before he untangled himself. He threw Harry a wink, face flushed a charming pink, and dashed off to rub their team's victory in Roxanne's nose, breezing past a frowning Charlie without so much as acknowledging him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for your comments on the first part <3 I hope you enjoyed this rambly mess of a second chapter.  
> They just put Mamma Mia on Netflix, I'm 100% watching it later, because it's been that kind of day.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I didn't reply to the comments on the last part, I normally like to but this week was ridiculous and it just didn't happen. But thank you <3 The comment from Redllamas in particular made me giggle.

Harry had called a taxi to take them to Roxy and Gazzy's stag party. Neither had much liked the idea of being a hen, and since their friends and family were mostly made up of the same people anyway, they'd decided to forgo tradition altogether and have a joint party to celebrate their last few days of unmarried life. And a good piss up was a good piss up either way, yeah? Eggsy couldn't give a fuck about tradition, as long as his best mate was happy. They'd booked an entire pub for the evening, a big old place full of narrow corridors and booths separated by frosted glass panels, all original tiles on the floors and a big, solid old bar running down the middle of the room. It was the place where the two girls had had their first date, the soppy fucks. He knew Gazzy had a soft spot somewhere under all that armour. 

"So d'you end up sleeping with many of your clients?" Eggsy said not long after they'd climbed into the taxi, mostly just because he was curious, but partly to see if he could get a rise out of him. Not like _that,_ Jesus.

"Not as many as you think I do, no doubt," Harry said, still irritatingly unruffled as he checked his watch, "or you wouldn't be asking." He looked fucking delicious - he'd forgone the tie, but was still smart as fuck in a slim fitting black jacket and trousers, crisp white shirt open at the collar in an attempt at informality. Eggsy couldn't help but think he'd look good messed up a little more.

"I was just wonderin'," Eggsy shrugged. "Say a bird - or bloke - has hired you to be their arm candy at some awkward as fuck social event, right? They feel like shit, they've had one too many glasses of champers, they've got a stack of cash in their pocket and need cheering up... no fucking way it doesn't happen." Truth be told, Eggsy didn't think he'd need an awful lot of persuasion to become one of those people. _No, not part of the plan._

"I never said it doesn't," Harry countered lightly, "just not frequently. Besides," he peered at Eggsy over the top of his glasses, corner of his mouth quirked in the barest curl of a smirk, "most have already requested it in advance, so there's no need for them to make a snap decision." 

Eggsy snorted. "Well you're just sodding perfect aren't you," he mumbled to the floor through the smile he was trying to hide.

Harry heard him, of course. "More or less. But no man is without his flaws, Eggsy."

"Okay fine," Eggsy rolled his eyes, and slumped further back into the seat, ignoring the way Harry's forehead wrinkled in distaste at how it creased his shirt, "how'd you get so fucking good at this?"

Before Harry could answer, they pulled up outside the pub. The street was still light in the summer evening, few cars on the road even in the busy part of town, most people at home in their own sun-drenched gardens, or out enjoying the warm evening properly elsewhere. 

"You can't guess?" Harry said as they got out of the car, the pavement giving off the odd smell of sun-heated tarmac. 

He'd meant it as a rhetorical question, but pointing that out now would have made him feel like an idiot. "I dunno, watching Pretty Woman on loop?" Eggsy said as he walked around the back of the car to join Harry on the other side. "Evening classes on charming the fuck out of grumpy old relatives with sticks up their arses?"

"Not quite." Harry walked slowly towards him, backing him up against the closed car door without touching him. Eggsy went willingly, eyes fixed on Harry as his back bumped gently against the car.

"I - " the road might have been largely empty, but Eggsy was still very much aware of the man sitting in the front seat of the car, "the driver - "

"Is a friend, and very discreet, I can assure you," Harry said, "not that we're doing anything untoward."

"Right," Eggsy said, more breathless than he would have liked.

"A good deal of practice," Harry said, his voice low and close to Eggsy's ear, "that's all it is. No gimmicks. And's it's certainly not all about sex." They still weren't touching at all, unless you counted Harry's breath soft across Eggsy's neck as he whispered words that were innocent on the surface, but nonetheless made Eggsy's stomach jolt and his breath catch, the warm metal at his back and warm body at his front. "I listen. A simple observation and understanding about what the individual might want, might need from me, is all it takes." 

"However the fuck you do it," Eggsy said when Harry stepped neatly away and he could breathe again, "you're worth every penny mate."

The stag do was already well underway when the two of them entered the bar, everyone with a drink in their hand and voices getting louder by the minute. Eggsy went off to find Rox and buy her a last-few-nights-of-freedom drink, Harry choosing to sit off to the side in one of the quieter booths where Roxy's uncles and that Merlin bloke were already hidden away. He'd probably been desperate to catch up with them, but he'd barely left Eggsy's side so far, and despite the nervous flutter in his gut that they might somehow find out, he wanted to give Harry that chance. Anyway, if things went to plan, he'd be too off his face to care much soon. 

Things did go to plan. An hour or two later, and Eggsy'd lost track of how much he'd had to drink, but it didn't matter. He was lightheaded and happy, dizzy with drink and starting to feel soppy about his best mate finally tying the knot with a girl she adored. The bar staff had turned up the music and people were dancing, laughing and sloshing their drinks all over the place. Eggsy was about to go and find Rox, get another tequila down her and ask for a dance, but he was beaten to it. By Charlie. Apparently he'd stopped trying to flirt with the girl behind the bar like he had been all evening, and slunk across the dancefloor to sweep a laughing Roxy away from the other mates she'd been dancing with and into his arms. She went gladly, still scarily coordinated considering how many shots she'd put away, and Eggsy thought it was probably best to leave it for a bit. He had enough sense left to avoid speaking to Charlie at all while the two of them had been drinking. Anyway, he hadn't seen Harry since they'd arrived, and it suddenly seemed very important that he rectified that. They were meant to be disgustingly in love, or at least fucking like rabbits, and he had to keep it believable, right?

"Alright babes," he said as he sauntered up to the table Harry and his old friends had settled into for the evening, numbly aware that he was by now quite drunk and probably about to make a tit of himself, but unable to stop.

"Hello darling," said Harry, a touch dryly, "enjoying yourself?"

"'Course," he smiled blearily and lifted his hand to rake his fingers through Harry's hair, following up on his earlier passing thought that he would look good a little bit rumpled. It felt nice. And the sweet little grumpy face he made when he realised Eggsy'd messed up his hair was even better. "Rox is happy, so I'm happy," he threw a sloppy but genuine smile at James and Percival, who were watching Harry and Eggsy's interaction with amusement. "But I haven't seen you for ages," despite himself, he heard his voice stretch out into a whine. He'd probably be embarrassed about that later.

Harry opened his mouth to reply, but before he could say anything, Eggsy leant over and stuck his tongue down his throat. They'd kissed briefly at the rounders game yesterday, but Harry had taken him by surprise and it was over too quickly, this was _so much better._ He sucked lightly on Harry's bottom lip, ran his teeth over it, breathing deep through his nose as Harry kissed him back, hand coming up to grip Eggsy's shoulder, mostly likely because Harry was worried about his stability. Fair enough. But still he was kissing him back, carefully, but firm, and it was fucking brilliant. Dimly aware that his mouth probably tasted like shite and that that'd he'd need to breathe properly at some point, Eggsy pulled away.

"I missed you."

"I missed you too Eggsy," Harry said with the sort of fond exasperation reserved for people humouring their drunk other halves. 

"Well that's terribly sweet," James said, "but that was far more of Eggsy's tongue than I ever needed to see." He winked at them over the rim of his brandy glass.

"Mm, and I saw enough of Harry snogging people at university to last me a lifetime," Merlin grumbled into his pint, "I didn't think I'd have to bear witness to any more."

Eggsy was suddenly and intensely curious about who Harry may or may not have snogged at university, but before he could demand that Merlin dish the dirt, Roxy bounded over and draped herself along his shoulder.

"Come dance with me Eggs?" she said, blinking slowly at him, smile languid. "You owe me a spin around the dancefloor, best man."

"Alright, best girl," he grinned, and put his arm around her in return.

"You look after her now, Eggsy," Percival said gravely, but it was obvious he was holding back a smile. 

"When do I ever do anythin' else guv?" he winked at the four men watching them with amusement. "An' it's usually me who needs looking after anyway - this one knows what she's doing." He threw them all a wave over his shoulder, and let her pull him back into the crowd.

They'd barely set foot on the dance floor when Roxy's smile faltered, flickering away into a frown made harsher by the flashing reds and blues of the disco lights. She was gripping his wrist hard, and alright he might had been thoroughly pissed, but it was obvious something was up. "Rox?" he had to raise his voice over the thudding music, "Rox darlin', what's wrong?"

"I don't think I can do this Eggsy," she said, face scrunched up in distress, biting at her lip as though she could keep the words in.

"What?" he said, not sure he'd heard right, still fighting to hear above the music and his own muzzy thoughts, "the wedding? Rox, I don't understand - "

She shook her head vigorously, clutched harder at his arms, "no, not the wedding, not Gazzy, I - Eggs, there's something I have to tell you."

"What? What could possibly - "

He was cut off as Gazzy slipped in next to them, winding her arm around Roxy's shoulders, and holding up a shot of Apple Sourz. It took Roxy a second to focus, but when she realised what it was she smiled, opened her mouth and let Gazzy tip the sharp, green liquor down her throat. Roxy swallowed, pale throat made green by the ever-changing lights, and plastered herself to Gazzy's side as she reeled her in for a kiss. After a moment of waiting for them to break apart that didn't come, Eggsy left them to their snogging and wandered off to get himself another drink. Ten minutes later he'd forgotten that Roxy had wanted to speak to him at all. 

The party began to wind down, and, as arranged, Roxy, Gazzy, and their closest friends all piled into a waiting limo. There was more champagne ready for them in the back seat, not instantly spilt everywhere purely because of Gazzy's eerily good reflexes, even when completely smashed. It was nice to have a smaller group of them, laughing and cheering as Gazzy slid into Roxy's lap for another snog, only breaking apart when someone accidentally sloshed champagne over them both while Gazzy was too distracted to prevent it. With the others cackling and mopping up the spillage with a bright pink 'Bride To Be' sash, Roxy tugged Eggsy up to stand on the seat with her, the two of them sticking half out of the limo roof, laughing wildly and grabbing each other for balance as the car sped through the streets of London, squinting against the lights and declaring how lucky they both were to have such a fucking brilliant best friend. After the initial rush wore off though, Eggsy felt rough as fuck and had to retreat back down into the car properly. Oh, he did not feel good. But he had made up his mind about something - he asked the driver to pull over at a cash point on the way back to the hotel, just in case.

Harry was already back by the time Eggsy stumbled gracelessly into their room, having taken a taxi by himself when Rox had whisked Eggsy off to the limo. He looked up when Eggsy opened the door, glass of whiskey loose in his fingers where he sat in a chair in the corner, glasses off and hair still ruffled.

"Are you alright?" he frowned and set the glass on the table.

Instead of answering, Eggsy swaggered across the room to stand in front of him, and held out his hand. After a moment, Harry took the hint and reached up to take it. Eggsy pulled him gently out of the chair, though honestly Harry was probably doing most of the work, and led him purposefully towards the bed. He sat at the foot of it on the ugly coral duvet, took hold of the front of Harry's shirt and pulled him down, so that Harry had no choice but to hover over him, hand either side of Eggsy on the bed. He could feel Harry's breath on his cheek.

"Are you certain, Eggsy?" Harry said, voice low, and Eggsy almost laughed in his face. "I hate to spoil the mood, but you've had rather a lot to drink, and I know you - "

"Harry," Eggsy interrupted him, "I might be a bit off my tits right now, but I been thinking about this before I even ordered my first drink tonight. Sooner than that, really, if I'm bein' honest. I know I want you." 

His words or the look on his face must have convinced Harry somehow, because then they were snogging. Eggsy sort of missed the first moment of it, whether it was he or Harry or both who leant forward first, he couldn't have said, but it didn't matter. He almost regretted drinking quite so much - though he felt warm and lightheaded and so very up for it, the booze dulled the firm press of Harry's mouth over his own, the light brush of Harry's fingers against his bare skin as he unbuttoned Eggsy's shirt. Uncoordinated and fumbling, partly with the drink and partly with an elated sense of _fuck we're doing this,_ he tried to help Harry pull his shirt off without breaking the kiss, tossing it aside and daring to sneak a hand down to grab at Harry's bum. He'd been low key thinking about doing it again ever since their little PDA at the rounders match. It made Harry groan and jerk away, reaching down to deftly flick open the button of Eggsy's jeans, tugging them down so they bunched around his knees. Eggsy felt himself go lax as Harry kissed softly at his belly, legs falling open as much as they could in the confines of his jeans, his breathing faster as Harry's teeth caught on the waistband of his boxers.

"Fuck," Eggsy hissed and grabbed Harry by the shirt again, hauling him back up for another kiss, wet and messy and more accidental teeth than anything. 

"Eggsy, wait a moment," Harry managed to mumble out through the kisses.

"What?" Eggsy pulled back, grinning and panting for air, "is this where you tell me you don't kiss on the mouth?"

"A little late for that don't you think, considering your little display at the pub earlier," the slight lift at the corner of Harry's mouth made it clear Eggsy was forgiven.

Eggsy laughed, finger curling in the hair at the back of Harry's head. "Worth it."

"I completely agree," Harry said. "But no darling, it's not that. I just have to get something."

He was off the bed and back again before Eggsy had time to miss him, bottle of lube in hand. Though he was well aware it was probably a professional thing, Eggsy couldn't help rolling his eyes as Harry popped the cap, because _of fucking course_ he was always prepared. What followed was, honest to fucking God, the most beautiful handjob Eggsy'd ever had the fortune to be gifted with. Harry lay stretched out alongside him, still mostly clothed and propped up on one elbow, watching the every movement of Eggsy's face, every gasp or moan when he did something particularly fantastic, every time he closed his eyes or bit his lip, he was aware of Harry's eyes following it. Occasionally, he'd take a break from that and dip down to kiss Eggsy's cheek, his nipple, the flushed skin of his neck. And could he actually read minds, because it was about the most flatteringly, frustratingly, slow and loving and sensational sex he'd ever had. Once or twice Harry's eyes travelled down from Eggsy's face to watch his dick slip in and out of his slick grasp, and Eggsy had to close his eyes again. 

"Fucking hell Harry," he said afterwards, as Harry fished out a packet of tissues from God knows where to delicately wipe off his hand, "that was fucking ridiculous."

"I sincerely hope you mean that as a compliment, or I shall be most upset."

"Of course I fuckin' do you knob," Eggsy grinned and stretched out on the sheets.

"Well that's good to know," said Harry as he twisted around to face him again, and Eggsy's attention dropped to the quite obviously still there bulge in Harry's trousers, "because I have one or two more things up my sleeve, as it were."

 _"Yes,_ Harry."

A few short moments later, and Eggsy's jeans were discarded on the floor without ceremony, the money he'd taken out at the cash point still tucked into the back pocket.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so I have this film recorded on my mum's TV, and it was obviously on in the daytime, because I found it on YouTube earlier, and there is a whole other scene where they bang that is definitely not included in the version I've seen. I legit did not know it existed at all until this afternoon.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like this chapter's only okay, I really should be doing my bigbang fic, and I just wanted to get it posted asap because I won't have much time next week. Hope you enjoy anyway :)

With Eggsy still sound asleep and the morning growing later, Harry rang for room service to bring up some breakfast. Though he hadn't appeared to be horribly drunk last evening - Harry would never have let things go quite so far if he'd been absolutely trollied - there was every chance Eggsy'd still be feeling the effects of all those frightfully coloured shots he and Roxanne had been cheerfully knocking back when he woke. But for now he was quiet, mouth slack in sleep, hair mussed, clutching at the pillows and bare legs twisted in the sheets.  
Harry was thankful Eggsy was still sleeping, if only for the fact that it gave him time to clear his head a little. What had happened last night was... well, it had been inevitable, looking back. As terribly cliche as it sounded, Eggsy was nothing like Harry's normal clientele. He was vibrant and kind-hearted and full of good humour, not at all like the stuffy or straight-laced or emotionally constipated people that usually paid him for his time. An uncharitable view of those who'd kept him in business all these years perhaps, and not one that applied to all of them by any means, but a true one nonetheless. But the fact remained that Harry had stopped viewing Eggsy as a client. He didn't want his money, he wanted _him._ Of course the concept was rather new, and there was every chance it would all end in tears, but for the time being... there was nothing to be done but simply see how it went. Starting with actually speaking with Eggsy about it when he woke up - he was getting rather ahead of himself.

The knock on the door when room service brought in breakfast must have woken Eggsy, because when Harry turned around, tray in hand, he was sitting up, sheets pooled at his waist and face adorably scrunched up as he blinked sleep from his eyes. When he noticed Harry watching him, his face pulled up into a smile, tired but a smile nonetheless. Harry found himself unexpectedly relieved - at the back of his mind, he had still been worried Eggsy would regret what they'd done. 

"Hey Harry," he said, voice gravelly, and leant back against the pillows.

"Good morning," Harry sat himself and the tray next to him on the bed. "I wasn't sure what worked for you after a night of drinking, so I ordered a selection. For me it's always been toast and sweet tea."

"Ugh, Harry you fucking angel," Eggsy lifted the tray onto his lap, and honest to God _moaned_ as he tucked into the fried breakfast Harry'd presented him with. "I'd fucking kiss you, if my mouth didn't taste like shite."

"Noted," Harry said, unable to stop himself grinning like a fool, "and I appreciate the gesture." He stood, with the intention of tidying up the room a little from the mess they'd left it in last night. But he indulged himself in one more little gesture before doing so. "I however, am safe in the knowledge that I taste of nothing but Colgate." Bending slightly, he pressed a kiss to Eggsy's cheek. When he pulled back, it was to see Eggsy gaping at him as though he was the best thing he'd ever seen, complete with smear of baked bean on his chin. Harry was fucking besotted, there was no denying it. 

They said nothing more for the next few minutes, Eggsy devouring the tray of food and Harry pottering about folding clothes and straightening furniture - good grief, they really had gone all out last night - but the both of them seemed unable to stop sneaking the odd glance at each other. More than once, Harry looked up from his task to find Eggsy's eyes already on him. Eggsy would wink and Harry would shake his head in mock exasperation, and they'd each get on with what they were doing for a moment longer, until they couldn't resist looking across at each other again. It was embarrassing, and it was juvenile, and Harry utterly loved it. Breakfast suitably demolished, Eggsy hopped up from the bed with surprising vigour considering, and went into the bathroom to 'shower off the booze.' Harry heard the water start running, and bent to gather up Eggsy's clothes where he'd left them on the carpet the night before. As he picked up Eggsy's jeans, something slipped out of the pocket and dropped to the floor. Money. An obnoxiously large wad of notes, to be exact. An obnoxiously large wad of notes that could only have been intended for one purpose. Seething, Harry let himself into the bathroom and yanked the shower curtain aside.

"Fucking hell Harry!" Eggsy shrieked when met with Harry's thunderous expression, stepping back from under the spray and hands hovering awkwardly over his body as he automatically moved to cover himself. Harry refused to let himself be distracted by the sopping wet and gloriously naked skin, and kept his eyes on Eggsy's face, once again flushed that delightful pink from the warmth of the shower and embarrassment at Harry's intrusion. Though it was hard to be quite so charmed by it when he was quite so irritated. 

"Is this for last night?" he said, holding the stack of money up for Eggsy's viewing pleasure. 

"No," Eggsy protested, blinking the water from his eyes, eyelashes clumped and wet. "Fuck, of course it ain't."

"If I was going to charge you Eggsy, I would've told you so beforehand."

"I - didn't want you to think I was expecting something for nothin'," Eggsy said, eyes wide and looking rather desperate, as though considering whether jumping out of the window was a viable escape option. "Or that I was expecting anything actually, after all that shit I said to you before about not ever - "

"Just so you're aware," Harry interrupted, "you're two hundred short."

"Two hundred - " Eggsy gaped at him, any trace of guilt or awkwardness banished in the face of outraged astonishment. "You're fucking having me on mate." He shook his head in disbelief. "I read the contract, and I know how much you charge. You might be good, but you can't up your price just 'cause you fancy it."

"I'm not," Harry said blandly. "I trust you remember the portion of the evening you were particularly vocally appreciative of?"

"I - " Eggsy cleared his throat and shifted his weight under Harry's scrutiny, "yeah."

"Well, that's what the extra charge is for."

"You charge two hundred quid for doing _that?"_ Eggsy glared at him, hands on hips, and exuding an impressive aura of authority for someone in his state of undress.

"No, I charge two hundred for _you_ doing it to _me."_ Harry turned sharply and went back into the bedroom, tossing the wad of notes on the still rumpled bed as he did so. 

~

Last night with Harry had been one of the best fucks Eggsy'd ever had, hands down. The next morning had been pretty perfect and all, breakfast in bed and the knowledge that Harry actually seemed to want him, client or not. Until Harry'd found the cash he'd stuffed in his back pocket, that was. Usually Eggsy was pretty spot on with decision making while pissed, but this time... yeah, he might've fucked up. That didn't excuse Harry going off on him like that though, Jesus. And the most frustrating thing about their falling out was that neither of them seemed to be that upset about it, really. It was just an irritating and inescapable charade, neither of them genuinely angry anymore, but also neither willing to come out and say it or forgive the other their outburst. Just as fucking stubborn as each other.

Eggsy didn't have long to stew over his general dissatisfaction with the situation before the two of them were summoned across town to endure a last minute dance lesson in preparation for the big day - Roxy had made him agree to it months ago in solidarity, and there was no way he could've gotten out of it. Twenty minutes in, and Eggsy wasn't ashamed to admit that only half of the times he'd stomped on Harry's foot had been unintentional. But by the fourth time he'd done it, or maybe the fifth, he'd lost count, he noticed the quirk of Harry's mouth, the slight purse of his lips like he was trying to hold back a smile. And once he'd noticed that, well, it was hard to stop grinning himself. Gazzy turned out to be scarily proficient at the dancing, quiet and precise. Roxy surprised him by stumbling once or twice, but he was pretty sure that was just the hangover making itself known.

"I ain't mad at you anymore," he said as Harry spun them both effortlessly across the room, the girls and the dance teacher forgotten.

"Nor I," Harry said, pulling Eggsy in perhaps a little bit closer than was necessary. Not that he was complaining. "Though I think it was the situation as a whole that got to me dear boy. Not you."

"I - yeah. I'm sorry," he squeezed Harry's hand. "It was drunk logic, I s'pose."

"I admit I overreacted somewhat," Harry said, dipping him so fast and so low it left Eggsy breathless. "I apologise."

Half an hour later, and their squabble was forgotten entirely. It helped of course, that Harry was obviously a fucking flawless dancer on top of everything else, and the way his hand sat square at the small of Eggsy's back, the way he kept his chin up, posture unyielding and perfect, but eyes made soft with humour... well, if Eggsy hadn't known it before, he was fucked. 

~

"Fuck," said Harry as the taxi made it's way along the sweeping drive to Roxy's uncles' country place. The fact that they had 'a country place' at all was mental, but Eggsy'd long since made his peace with the differences between his and Roxy's families. Close friends and family were invited to stay up at the house for the next few days, in order to be close to the church. It was the same one Rox's parents had gotten married in, at a suggestion from Gazzy that had left the whole lot of them teary eyed. 

"What?" Honestly, Eggsy's reaction had been pretty similar when he'd first clapped eyes on the offensively large house and it's surrounding acres, but he doubted Harry's was for the same reason.

"I came to stay here once in the school holidays," Harry frowned as they rounded the corner and the house came into view properly through the trees, "snogged James behind the boathouse."

"You fucking _what?"_

"Too much pilfered gin," said Harry blithely, as though that answered the multitude of disturbing questions that sprang up from that statement. 

Eggsy shook his head, and decided honesty was the best policy. "If it's alright with you, I'm just going to pretend I didn't hear that 'til I know what to do with it."

"That may be for the best," Harry answered gravely, and Eggsy punched him on the arm. 

 

If Eggsy'd had any reservations about his mum meeting Harry - and oh mate did he, it was one thing fooling everybody else but he'd always had trouble pulling the wool over her eyes - he needn't have worried. She'd been a tiny but prickly when he'd introduced them, but he guessed she was just jumping to conclusions - conclusions that probably couldn't have been more wrong, come to think of it - but once they'd got to chatting, she too was utterly charmed by Harry, just like everyone else.  
And Harry turned out to be unexpectedly sweet with Daisy as well. It was obvious he didn't have the first fucking clue of how to talk to kids, but he was trying, and Daisy seemed to think he was absolutely fucking riveting, and that was what counted. The three of them were sitting together on a picnic blanket out on the lawn, Daisy pulling a bread roll to bits as Michelle regaled Harry with fuck knows what embarrassing stories from Eggsy's childhood. That was mostly the reason why he and Rox were sitting a good distance away across the grass, so he didn't have to rehear the goddamn peacock story again.

"He's a keeper, Eggs," Roxy said as she slathered her slightly overdone sausage in ketchup. James always insisted he man the barbecue, which was both a blessing and a curse - everything always ended up just the wrong side of charred, but there was very little chance of food poisoning from undercooked meat. 

"That right?" Eggsy poked at his burger, biding his time, well aware it was probably still hotter than the fires of hell.

"Yep," she said with conviction, sucking ketchup off her thumb. "Your mum likes him, Daisy likes him, I like him - which is obviously very important - " he flicked a crisp at her, "Uncle Percy and James already know him, and if they thought he was no good they wouldn't give him the time of day. And that's before I even get started on how much _you_ like him."

"I'm that obvious?" There was no point denying it. Eggsy was pretty good at fibbing when the need arose, but Rox could always see right through it. Scarily like his mum, on that score. He didn't even have to pretend to be stupid in love over Harry anymore, a fact which he wasn't sure worked out in his favour or not, considering why he'd brought Harry with him in the first place.

"Oh completely," she said. "And here I thought you were still hung up on Charlie."

"I - " Eggsy hesitated, attention reflexively fixing on where Charlie was sitting sprawled out in the sun with a few of Roxy's old friends from uni, "no. Definitely not." Which was the truth. But maybe she didn't need to know how a recent a development it was. 

"One more thing," Roxy said, and he looked back up at her in question.

"What?"

"You have a hickey, Unwin."

"What?" his hand flew up to grasp at the side of his neck, where, sure enough, the skin felt tender under his fingers. "You could have fucking said something before my mum got here Rox, Christ."

"And miss this?" she waved her hand in his general direction, still smirking, "not a chance."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing this has reaffirmed how stupid it is when characters fall arse over tit in love in the space of three days. But does this mean I'll stop enjoying it? Nope. You will pry romcoms from my cold dead hands.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's been a little while, I had my bigbang to sort out and Black Sails happened, and then the Golden Circle trailer MY GOD. But here we go :)
> 
> Mentions of past sort of but not really infidelity and people being taken advantage of while drunk and sad... it's all very mild, but here's a heads up all the same. Charlie is a dick.

It was the evening before the wedding, and those who were staying the night were gathered around the impromptu dining table set up outside around the back of the house. James was seated at the head, Percy to his right and Merlin next to him, then Michelle wrangling a squirming Daisy on the end. Along the opposite side, Eggsy sat facing his little sister to assist his mother in persuading her to eat nicely, Harry next to him, then Gazzy and Roxanne. Harry was utterly charmed by it all, which was somewhat unnerving, considering how long it had been since he'd dropped his guard enough for anything of the sort. He'd spent years playing the professional, detached and free to pick up and move on as any new opportunity presented itself. In his years as an escort he'd attended more functions similar to this than he cared to count, but, what with the rebuilding of bridges with his old friends, meeting and knowing Eggsy... this one was nothing like the rest. He sat back contentedly in his seat as they finished off dinner, his hand rubbing small, absent circles on Eggsy's knee, Eggsy's head resting on his shoulder. Eggsy and Roxy were gleefully ribbing each other about old childhood squabbles, Michelle and James chipping in with gusto, keen to impart their own memories that made Eggsy and Roxy wrinkle their noses with embarrassment, Harry and Gazzy sharing sly looks of amusement over their partners' childhoods. Percy merely looked exasperated - and though Harry'd lost contact with him, he he still knew the man well enough to realise he was secretly enjoying everyone's high spirits - and Merlin was sending Harry an odd, sideways look like he knew just how deep Harry'd let himself fall into it. 

When dinner was finished with, everyone got up to stretch their legs and clear away the dishes before pudding, scattered about the rooms as they fetched what was needed. Harry took this moment to nip off to the loo, although he'd previously decided to avoid the grand affair that was the main bathroom upstairs, owing to the fact that he and James had also misguidedly snogged in there. Good grief, he'd be haunted by that party forever now that James was back in his life in a potentially more long term manner. If things with Eggsy were to continue, that was. Instead, he chose to skirt around the busier, central part of the house and took the stairs to a lesser used wing of the bloody mansion James' family owned - even among their schoolfellows, James' family pile had been comically large - to use a different bathroom. He took his time, momentarily distracted by a rather sweet little case of Adonis Blue butterflies mounted on the wall of the landing, when he heard somewhat angry whispering coming from around the corner. 

"Why the fuck are you even here?" Was that Roxanne? "You definitely weren't invited."

"Don't be dense Roxy, I think you know." And Charlie? Where on earth he'd materialised from and why was beyond Harry, and really, it was none of his business. But there was no way he could just barrel past them, or leave without making his presence known, so he ended up hesitating in the corridor, unintentionally listening in.

"One drunken shag, Charlie, and you just can't fucking let it go," Roxy hissed. "You know I always regretted it, and if you were a real friend like you claim to be, you'd stop fucking mentioning it."

"Oh come on Roxy, there's no need to get so het up about it. If it's because of Eggsy - " _What?_ Interest now well and truly piqued, Harry found himself physically leaning in closer. As much as his inner gentleman was pointedly telling him it was the height of rudeness to eavesdrop, the fact that they were discussing Eggsy gave him pause. 

"Of fucking course it's because of Eggsy," she interrupted. "The two of you had only just broken up, you complete and utter wanker."

"That may be so, but the point stands that we weren't technically together, so I've no idea why you're making such a fuss about it." Ah. In all honesty, Harry had never liked Charlie from the moment he'd been made aware of his existence, a feeling which had only grown in intensity after Eggsy filled him in on the finer points of their relationship. But this... well, it was the proverbial cherry on top of how much of abominable little shit Charlie Hesketh had proven himself to be. Roxy, to her credit, seemed to agree. 

"You fucking _despicable_ \- " she audibly took a moment to rein herself back in. "It's not just that. I was pissed off my face and fucking devastated after that break up with Tilde and you knew it. But instead of being a shoulder to cry on like any decent person, you had to go and - "

"Don't paint me like that Roxy," Charlie cut in sharply, "you were more than willing."

"I was drunk and sad, Charlie," said Roxy coldly, "and I've never regretted fucking anyone more. I'd hardly count that as a victory, would you?"

"I can't see that it matters much now anyway," Charlie scoffed, "pretty much everyone found out, other than Eggsy, so what does it - "

It was at this point Harry couldn't bear to keep listening in, jaw tight with anger on Eggsy's behalf, and though he was undecided as to whether it was his place to inform Eggsy about it or not, he knew for certain he didn't wish to know any more. If Charlie uttered another word against Eggsy, he was likely to grab the case of butterflies and smash it over his undeserving head. He fixed a smile on his face, wandered serenely around the corner and right into their conversation. "Pardon me," he said blithely as he sidled between them, "got a little lost on my way to the bathroom." He didn't stop to look back at the disbelief on their faces.

~

Eggsy'd given James and Percy a hand to bring all the puddings outside to the table, then offered to go and grab a bottle or two more from the wine cellar. If he knew Rox at all, she'd want something sweeter to go with her dessert, and his mum and Harry seemed to be bonding further still over pinot noir and embarrassing stories from his childhood, and who was he to stop them getting their jollies? He wandered down into the cool, musty air of the cellar, pleasant against the booze-warmed flush of his face, wondering vaguely whether Harry'd snogged James down here as well - they seemed to have done so in every other room in the place, the randy sods. Humming to himself, he grabbed a bottle of red more or less at random and a dessert wine for Rox, pausing when he heard someone walk in behind him. It was Charlie. 

How or why he was even here was anyone's guess, but since he'd specifically sought out Eggsy, he'd bet his left nut the reason wasn't a good one. He took a breath, steeling himself for what he was about to do, aware it was partly the wine and partly the need to finally say the words that had been coming together in his head the past few days. "Alright Charlie?"

"Eggsy, I - "

"Look mate, I know I should have said this sooner," he made himself speak before he could reconsider, "but let's put all this crap behind us yeah? Rox doesn't need us at each other's throats all through her big day." It was a pre-emptive sentiment really, in preparation for when they were inevitably pissed off their faces at the reception, more volatile and quick to snap at each other, taunt each other with the past. "I just think we - "

"I slept with Roxy."

"I - what?" At first, confusion overpowered anything else he might have felt - he knew Rox, and there was no way in hell she'd do that to her fiance. "Does Gazzy know? Why the fuck would she - "

"Not..." Charlie stopped him, looking more hesitant now it came to it, "it wasn't recently."

Thanks to the significant look Charlie was giving him and the heavy silence that settled after his words, Eggsy finally understood what he was getting at, and _what the ever loving fuck._ "You - you fucked Rox while we was still together?" he said, incredulous.

"No," said Charlie quickly, hand coming up as if in defence, "fuck, no. We'd broken up, Eggsy. We both know that Roxy would never - the thing is, we hadn't been broken up for awfully long."

"Fuck." It was about all he could think of to say at that moment. It was too much, too big a thing kept from him for too long to comprehend. Eggsy could remember - as if he'd ever forget - how mad, how fucking torn up he'd been when they'd split. And to know that the tosser could do that while he was at home alone punching the walls and bawling his eyes out over it was disgusting, yet another humiliating blow to the whole mess he thought he'd left behind. He was hurt that Rox had never told him either, how could he not be, but that was nothing to do with Charlie - that was for him and her alone to talk out. Didn't mean he wasn't pissed with her, but bigger fish and all. "Why are you even tellin' me this now? Is it literally just to stir shit up again for your own fucking amusement?"

"Of course not."

"Or maybe you just can't deal with the fact that everyone's attention will be on someone other than you tomorrow, selfish prick."

"Now look here - "

"I would say I can't believe you'd do that, but guess what, I fucking can."

"Eggsy - "

"Fuck off Charlie. I'm done talking about it with you." It took a lot of fucking willpower not to punch him in the face like he deserved, the twat, but Eggsy managed to resist long enough to simply turn around and stomp out of the cellar, gripping the wine bottles tight. His head was a confusing mess of numb blankness and darting, fuzzy thoughts, neither strong enough to win out. The only thing that managed to push it's way through the mire was _Harry, find Harry._

When he got back out into the garden, he didn't even bother looking up at the others, heading straight over to Harry and flinging his arms unceremoniously about his neck, almost braining him with the wine bottles in the process. Harry startled for a second, before pulling Eggsy closer, one arm firm around his middle and the other smoothing over his shoulders, Eggsy breathing deep the smell of his laughably expensive aftershave as he buried his face in his shirt. Stupid really, that after so short a time he already went straight to Harry for comfort. He shut his eyes against the angry tears threatening to spill - fuck, why did he have to be a crier. What with him launching himself at Harry while looking so obviously upset, the rest of the party must have guessed something was up, because in the next moment his numb little bubble was burst when Roxy shouted, indignant - 

"Harry - _you told him?_ Fuck."

Told him...? The moment Roxy's words had sunk in, Eggsy yanked himself back away from Harry and opened his eyes, blinking in confusion, to find Harry looking down at him apologetically. But the words he could see forming in the other man's head to defend himself wouldn't be enough, because Eggsy'd never felt so betrayed in his damn life. Harry, who he had known all of a handful of days, knew about this before he did. This, of all things. He, who knew just as well as the others after all Eggsy had confided to him, how fucking much it would hurt him in the first place, never mind that he'd kept it from him too. 

"Eggsy - "

"No," he cut Harry off sharply.

"Eggsy, babes - " his mum started soothingly, and he turned around to look at her because it was clear from the looks on their faces that everybody - _fucking everybody_ \- had known about this other than him. He gaped at the lot of them, all staring back at him as if waiting to see what he was going to do next. James was looking contrite at least, his mum like she was about to burst into tears, Roxy already was, mascara blotchy and hair mussed, and Gazzy looked like she was about to pull one of her prosthetic legs off and beat Charlie to death with it. At this point, Eggsy really wouldn't have minded much if she followed through.

"You know what," he could feel the wax seals around the necks of the wine bottles warm and heavy under his palms where he was gripping them, and promptly dropped them both to the grass with a thunk, "fuck the lot of you."

Charlie chose that moment to saunter out from the shadow of the doorway, looking bored and for all the world like Eggsy was having a big fucking tantrum over nothing. He should have known the tosser would never let Eggsy have the last word. "Oh come on Eggy," he said with a sigh as he approached, coming down the steps to stand in front of him, "it was a long time ago. We're all grown ups. I don't see why you've gone and got your knickers in a twist over - "

It was then Eggsy decided that nah, actually he'd had enough of his shit, and drew back his fist to punch Charlie square in the face. He relished his yelp of pain for all of two seconds before turning to dash of into the gardens so he could fall apart in private ta very much, willing the humiliating tears to wait until he was alone. Harry attempted to stop him with a gentle hand on his arm and a soft, "Eggsy, my darling - " but Eggsy was not fucking having it, and shook him off to make his break for freedom.

He'd only gotten as far as the sparse group of trees around the corner of the house before Harry caught up with him. It had started to rain too, that half-arsed summer drizzle that looked like nothing but soaked you through within minutes, the type that always seemed to rear it's ugly head on bank holidays and camping trips. Fucking dramatic irony. 

"Eggsy, please - "

"I don't want to talk about it Harry, please leave me the fuck alone."

"It's not what you think - "

"Oh yeah?" Eggsy snarled, spinning to face him, nearly losing his footing on the soggy grass. "I don't care what you think I think is going on, because how fucking dare you presume to fuck about in my life like that Harry? However it came about, it's not fucking okay. Just -just get out, yeah?"

"It wasn't my place to tell you, Eggsy," Harry said a little desperately, usual unshakeable composure rattled, which Eggsy took a kind of vicious enjoyment in, "and even if it was I wouldn't have had the chance - I found out all of five minutes before you did."

"Ugh," Eggsy scrubbed his hand through his hair in frustration, flicking rain water from his eyes, "that's not even the point Harry, you knew how much I - " the fight went out of him then. He was too stung to think straight, there was rain in his eyes and down the back of his collar, and he wished everyone would just leave him the fuck alone to be miserable without interfering. "Just piss off."

"Fine," Harry said tightly, resigned. "I understand that you're upset. In fact I'd be concerned if you weren't. But you cannot let that silly little prick who was stupid enough to lose you have a hold over you forever. You deserve better than that."

Eggsy didn't say anything else, and Harry didn't wait for him to neither, turning to walk back around to the house. He watched him go, back straight and figure dark against the rainwashed green of the lawn, not sure if he wanted to go after him or not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Drama*


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As we all know, after things go to absolute shit in a romcom, it isn't long before they start getting good again.  
> Warning: _Feelings_  
>  Thanks to everyone who left kudos last chapter :)

"Eggsy?" Roxy's voice came from the other side of the door. "Eggs, can I come in?"

It'd been almost two hours since... well, _since,_ and everyone had had the sense to leave him be for a while, thank fuck. He was pretty close to just telling her to fuck off, determined to hide away in the bedroom and stew in how shite he felt about the whole fucking situation. But, knowing Rox, she'd just sit outside the door until he caved and let her in. "Yeah."

"Thanks," she said, voice low, as she let herself in. "Charlie's gone. Merlin and Uncle Percy escorted him out. It was slightly unnerving."

"Let's hope." He looked up at her from where he was sitting on the carpet, back against the wall. She looked tired and hesitant, so unlike his brave best mate who had more balls than he did, and definitely not how a bride should look the day before her wedding. "Sit down?" He patted the spot next to him.

"Alright." She did, hugged her knees to her chest.

"I really want to be fucking mad at you," he sighed, let his head fall back against the wall.

She stilled next to him. "Why on earth aren't you?"

"I'm more mad at _him._ He took advantage of you when you was drunk and sad, the fucking prick. He fucked us both, Rox. And not in a fun way."

Roxy snorted into her knees. "You're not wrong. I'm so sorry, Eggs."

"That was what you wanted to talk to me about the other night wasn't it?" he said, the thought having occurred to him while he was trying to sort all the shit out in his head earlier. "At the stag when we was both completely wankered."

"Yes," she sighed, he felt her weight sag next to him. "I mean, its all a bit blurry," she wrinkled her nose, "but yes, I think so. It was having you both here again. It - it brought it all back, and I couldn't keep going with all of _this_ without you knowing. I talked myself into thinking that because it meant nothing and sure as fuck wouldn't be happening again, that finding out would hurt you more than not... I should have told you the very next day."

"You should have come to me instead of Charlie when you and Tilde broke up is what you should have done," he said.

"But you were still so upset over Charlie," she insisted, "you didn't need me dragging you down as well."

"That's what friends are for Rox, _Christ._ Wallowing in their misery together."

"You're right."

They were quiet for a moment, just sitting, breathing, letting the shift in their long friendship settle back down after having been given such a violent shake. He was still feeling a bit stung - not that Rox and Charlie had fucked, because Charlie'd clearly muscled in and taken advantage of her when the chance arose, yet another thing Eggsy wanted to fuck him up for, the twat - but because _she hadn't told him._ The two of them would be alright again, he knew that, but it would take a bit of time for him to deal with it first. 

"Uncle James put Harry up in the boathouse for the night, for old times sake," Roxy smiled weakly and wrinkled her nose at the antics of their schooldays, "if you wanted to see him, that is." Eggsy could practically hear the unspoken 'before he goes.'

"Nah," he shook his head, looked back down at the carpet, "I don't know what I'd say. It's for the best, yeah?"

Roxy looked like she was about to argue, but bit her tongue. "If you say so."

"I do," he found a smile for her, and pulled her in for a hug, and with that, one small part of the fucking mess that evening had left him in was smoothed out. 

~

Eggsy had never expected to be so fucking miserable on the morning of his best mate's wedding. He was trying - and failing for the most part - not to think too hard about Harry. But even without that, there was the lingering feeling of anger and humiliation from the evening before, making it harder to slot so neatly into place with the rest of the family as he had done only yesterday. He felt a little lighter after making up with Rox, but there was one person he knew he had to speak to before it all kicked off. There wasn't a fucking chance in hell he'd be able to get through the day unless he sorted things out with his mum.

He knocked on the door of the room she was staying in, letting himself in when he heard the soft 'yeah?' from inside. She'd started to get ready, hair wound up in curlers as she smoked out of the bedroom window.

"Mornin' mum." His voice sounded rough and unfamiliar, even to himself.

"Morning babes," she looked warily over at him, flicker of a nervous smile around her mouth, fingers tense around her cigarette.

"I err," he cleared his throat, shut the door behind him, "I thought we should have a chat about what happened yesterday."

She nodded, breathed out the last of the smoke and put the fag out. "You're right."

There were about a hundred things he could've said, could have asked her, but all that ended up coming out was,"why?"

"I'm so sorry Eggsy," she said, arms wrapped tight around her shoulders, "and I know it ain't enough just to say it, I know that. After I found out - I didn't know if I should've told you or not."

"Mum, how could you not think I - "

"I didn't want you to think I was interfering again," she cut him off. "Not after that time with... what was his name, love?"

"Liam." Eggsy winced at the memory. Granted, it was more Dean than his mum who'd fucked that up for him, but still. 

"Yeah, him. And by the time I'd got my head together, you was doing _so much better babes._ I couldn't bring myself to set you back. Not after - I couldn't see you like that again. I know I should've just told you. But I couldn't bear to have my baby boy so miserable, not when I could keep you from feeling that way."

"I - I can understand that," he said evenly. God knows he'd kept all sorts of things from his mum with the intention of shielding her from getting upset. Dean had almost broken his fucking wrist once while she'd nipped down to the offie, and he'd never told her, unwilling to be the one who made her cry. "But this ain't like putting a bit of make up over a black eye or not having the money for rent mum. You should've just told me, yeah? Saved us all this crap."

"I know that. I'm so sorry love," she held out her arm to him, biting at her lip to stop it trembling. "I'm sorry I put you through this again. It was fucking stupid of me."

He shook his head, feeling his eyes well up too, and went to pull her into a hug. "S'alright," he said, although it wasn't quite, not yet. But it would be. "It's you and me, yeah? You always used to tell me we gotta look after each other."

"That's right," she said, pulling away to give him a watery smile. Luckily she hadn't started on her make up yet. "And I think it's about time I got a bit better at it."

"Mum - " 

"Which is why I'm going to say this," she said more firmly. "I saw you smile more times yesterday with Harry than you did the whole time you was with Charlie. So, as a part of this whole being completely honest with you, Eggsy, why the fuck are you letting him go?"

~

Not being able to bear the smell of stale smoke, it wasn't often that Harry succumbed to the old urge to indulge in a cigarette, but if there was ever a time to let it slide, it was that morning. It seemed dreadfully impolite of him not to say goodbye properly to James and Percy before he left, but he couldn't quite bring himself to face any of them. Besides, they'd all have enough to be getting on with that morning without Harry barging in and distracting them and getting everyone all upset again. So in the end he'd elected to have a smoke, then leave as discreetly as he could manage, and perhaps give James a call in a day or two to thank him for his hospitality. He wasn't entirely certain it would be a good idea for him to renew their old friendships after all, seeing that his fling with Eggsy was apparently just that - a fling gone sour. He didn't wish to think about it.  
It soon became apparent he must have dawdled about feeling sorry for himself outside the boathouse longer than he'd intended, because he was still there when the wedding party began to pile into the waiting cars to make their way to the church. The sight of them disappearing down the drive and the stillness that followed their departure stirred him enough to finally get going himself. With a sigh so deep and elongated that Merlin would have smacked the back of his head for being over dramatic had he been present, Harry took one last drag of his cigarette, and turned to collect his luggage from the boathouse. 

"Filthy habit, you know."

Harry managed not to startle, but only barely, preventing any further bruises to his pride. He dropped the end of the cigarette into the dust and stepped on it. "Mr Hesketh," he looked down at the floor as he ground down on the ashes - they were more worthy of his attention than the man standing before him, "you're still here." 

"Just leaving. I spent the night in the annex behind the stables. It seems my invite was rescinded in light of recent events."

"I see." Harry looked up at him. He had a dark bruise, purple-red and painful looking, formed under his eye. Good. "You'll forgive me, if I say I rather think it was the right decision."

Charlie didn't say anything at first, just slid his hands into his pockets, regarding Harry with an unflattering, leering smirk that seemed far too smug for a man in his current position. "It's for the best, you know."

Fine, he'd take the bait, although honestly nothing Charlie had to say could possibly matter a whit. "What is?"

"That you and Eggy are over."

"Oh? Might I ask why you are of that opinion?" And why the fuck you think you have the right to share it with me, you little shit. "Not planning to make a go of it again, are you?" The notion was absurd, but Harry couldn't resist the scathing twist of sarcasm, the ungentlemanly urge to knock Charlie down another peg or two.

"Good Lord no," Charlie said with a a shake of his head and a vulgar little laugh. "He's not worth the trouble. The whiny little pleb wouldn't know a good thing if it - "

Harry punched him. It was more satisfying than he expected, the dull thud of his fist meeting Charlie's nose. His knuckles stung immediately afterwards, but damned if he was going to show it.

"I would apologise, but I'm afraid it would be insincere," Harry said sharply as he leant over Charlie, who was curled up on his back and prodding carefully at his bleeding nose, eyes watering. With any luck, he'd have another black eye to match the one Eggsy had given him. 

"What the fuck?" Charlie gasped, glaring up at him, incredulous.

"That young man is worth ten of you, Mr Hesketh. You're a vile little bastard and undeserving of any attention Eggsy ever gifted you with. And as to the question of whether he's worth it? Yes he fucking is." 

"You two fucking deserve each other," Charlie, snarled, tentatively dabbing at the blood under his nose.

"I like to think so," Harry said, and straightened up. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a wedding to get to."

Surely James wouldn't mind if he borrowed one of the cars... He hadn't had to hotwire anything in a while, but hopefully it was one of those things that came back to you, like riding a bike.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this is all a bit of a quick fix, but if you're looking for gritty realism this was never going to be the place to find it haa.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ridiculous, smushy af ending ayyy. This probably needs another read through, I'm sorry.

Eggsy'd been hoping, stupidly, that all the fuss of the wedding would be enough to distract him, keep him from thinking about Harry too much. Yeah, fucking _right._ All through the morning, he'd rushed about the house helping to get things together, making sure food and flowers and all that was where they were meant to be, even though he knew full well Percy would have checked it all ten times over already. Roxy's Uncle was never one to let the details slide, and he was hardly about to start on her wedding day, but Eggsy needed to keep himself busy. Yet still, any time he caught sight of any one of them from the back, smart in their suits, for one wonderful and fucking awful moment, Eggsy's head would trick him into thinking it was _him._ When he wasn't compulsively checking the lily bouquets hadn't somehow wandered off by themselves and gotten lost, he was nabbed by his mum to keep Daisy entertained while she finished getting changed, or looking in on Rox to marvel at how beautiful she looked. She scrubbed up well, but then he already knew that. And through it all, he'd been replaying his mum's words over and over in his head - _why the fuck are you letting him go?_ But he'd pushed them away. It was Roxy's day, and he wasn't about to put a downer on it by sulking about his fuck ups. He'd just have to make sure he didn't drink too much at the reception and make a tit of himself by crying into the punch or trying to cop off with someone's auntie.

Once they'd arrived at the church though, guests pouring in and everyone saying how happy they were for Roxy and Gazzy as Eggsy showed them to their seats, he'd started second guessing himself. In a moment of impulse he'd been fighting against all morning, Eggsy'd even nabbed one of the cars and sped back to the boathouse, in one last ditch attempt to stop Harry from going, or to at least say goodbye properly, or _something._ But he'd already left, the boathouse empty and tyre tracks leading away up the drive. So that was that fucked then. He'd been so fucking close to losing it at that moment, knowing there was no chance of seeing Harry again, but he had to keep it together - if only until the end of the day - for the sake of everyone else. After giving his mum a quick call to make sure things were going alright at the church and he hadn't missed it - apparently the driver bringing Gazzy had gotten lost so things were a bit behind schedule anyway - he'd taken a deep breath, and gotten in the car and made his way back. 

As he pulled up outside the church, still not convinced he wasn't about to burst into angry tears or put his fist though the car window, he spotted another car outside the church gate. For a moment he just assumed it was Gazzy getting there fashionably late, but it wasn't the black car she was meant to be arriving in. It was one of James', a flashy little thing in British racing green, referred to by Percy as his husband's midlife crisis. There was no time for him to do anything more than wonder what the fuck it was doing there before he noticed someone leaning against it, facing away from him, hands in the pockets of a ridiculously well-fitting suit. Harry. 

Despite spending the whole morning wishing for nothing but the exact scene that was unfolding before him, it was still a struggle for Eggsy to make himself get out of the car. But he did, though he didn't quite dare let himself believe it was real. Or rather, he didn't dare believe they could get through the conversation they were about to have without one or both of them fucking it up.

"Eggsy." Harry said with a flicker of a smile that didn't do much to hide his obvious apprehension, "I was getting myself ready to apologise for being late, but somehow, I seem to have beaten you here."

"I went back to the boathouse," Eggsy said, his voice sounding thick and wrong, like he was listening to a bad recording of himself, "to find you."

"I see," Harry hesitated for a fraction of a moment before continuing. "I hope I can take that to mean what I think it does."

"Depends," Eggsy said, coming to a stop with a few feet of distance left carefully between them, "what do you think it means?"

"That perhaps," Harry said, "despite how terribly undeserving I might be, you are as unwilling to let go of this as I am."

Fuck. _Fuck._ He'd spent the last hour thinking about what he was going to say to Harry to sort this fucking mess out when, _if,_ he found him, but the moment came when he was right there in front of him and all of it went right out the sodding window. He was going to sweat right through his suit at this rate, what with how bloody het up he'd gotten over the past couple of hours. Gazzy'd have his balls if he was all sweaty in the wedding photos. Shit, just say _something,_ Eggsy, fucking - "Harry, I've got to - " 

"Please," Harry cut across him, "before you say anything else, there's one more thing I want to explain."

Startled into silence by Harry's abrupt interruption, Eggsy just nodded until he managed to find his voice. "Alright."

"Frankly Eggsy, I'm getting tired of this escort shit," Harry said, "and whatever you might say after I've spoken my piece, I think it's time for me to throw in the towel as far as that's concerned. I'm not entirely sure I could do it all again, without thinking of this, of you." He paused, although Eggsy didn't think he was waiting for him to comment on that particular part. Which was good, because he had no fucking idea what he was meant to say. "Eggsy, I've only known you a matter of days, but I've grown to feel more strongly about you in that short amount of time than I've felt about anyone else in years. To me, that seems like something worth pursuing. If you don't feel the same, of course I won't stop you from walking away, as though nothing ever happened." He looked the most awkward Eggsy had ever seen him; hands tense and shifting his weight, a proper romantic lead Hugh Grant sort of moment. "But I just... wanted you to know." 

As if nothing ever happened... no. Eggsy didn't like the fucking sound of that. His turn. "It wasn't your fault, Harry," he said, when his head and his mouth finally started to co-operate, "I know that. It was a lot of other shit that I never dealt with properly, and you sort of... got caught up in the crossfire, yeah?"

"I suppose."

"I guess all I want to say is- "

"Eggsy!" Michelle stuck her head out of the church door and bellowed across the yard, big purple flower she'd pinned in her hair wobbling dangerously. The pair of them twisted to face her in surprise, like kids caught doing something they shouldn't have been. "Get your arse in here babes. Gazzy's around the front, we're ready to start."

_"Fuck."_

"Yeah, 'fuck' is right, now hurry up," she said, before pausing briefly to give Harry a pleased little smile. "Nice to have you back Harry," she winked and whisked back inside.

"Fuck," Eggsy repeated, just managing to stop himself from running his hand through his hair and messing it up. "Alright. Look Harry, there's some shit we still got to talk about, but basically the answer is yes, I fucking want to be with you too. Now, are you going to come watch me walk down the aisle or what?"

All the tension fell away from Harry in an instant, and he smiled, his relief palpable. "Gladly."

"Good," Eggsy grabbed him, not caring about wrinkling their suits as he pulled into a kiss, a hard press of lips to convey all the things they didn't have the time to say. He pulled away just as quick, leaving Harry craning after him, and took him by the hand to pull him to the church. "Now let's get a fucking move on, or Roxy will never forgive me." He stumbled as another horrible thought occurred to him - "Christ, how the fuck am I going to tell her the truth about how we met?"

 

~

 

A couple of hours into the reception, and, despite Harry protesting that it was terribly juvenile, Eggsy had persuaded him to sneak off for a snog. Although, after twenty minutes of pawing at each other around the back of the marquee, even Eggsy was forced to admit that they were playing with fire, and they should probably head back inside before they missed the toasts and Roxy strangled him with his own bow tie for his troubles. Luckily for him, she didn't seem all that inclined to violence at that moment, head resting on Gazzy's shoulder as they floated across the dancefloor. Unfairly beautiful, the pair of them. Slightly less elegant were James and Michelle, swinging each other around the marquee and laughing their arses off as other guests leapt out of the way, Percy looking on in resignation as he reached for another flute of champers. Merlin, however, was watching them.

Harry must have noticed, because before Eggsy could comment on it, he slipped a hand around his waist. "I've been meaning to tell you - and now seems as poor a time as any - that regarding your concerns about explaining the truth about our relationship to your friends and family..." he hesitated, mouth taut with distaste. "Merlin already knows." 

Eggsy felt himself double take, grip slack on his glass. "He - what?"

"He's my oldest friend, and well aware of my occupation," Harry said, wincing as James and Michelle narrowly avoided taking out an elderly couple with their enthusiastic dancing. "I'm afraid he's known from the moment you walked into the hotel bar with me on your arm."

Eggsy gaped at him, head snapping to the side to look over at Merlin, who had obviously guessed at the gist of their conversation and smirked, raising a glass in their direction. "Fuck's sake," Eggsy banged his forehead against Harry's shoulder, not sure if that particular bit of new information was hilarious or just plain embarrassing. "You could've fucking told me."

"Yes, I probably should have. But would it have helped?" Harry said quietly into his hair.

Eggsy gave it a moment's thought before realised that actually no, it probably would have made it worse; being on edge every minute and waiting for Merlin to spill the figurative beans. "I - point taken."

Harry reached down to lift Eggsy's head, tilting his chin up to meet Harry's eyes. "Do you really think any of them would think ill of you for knowing how we really became acquainted?"

"Nah, 'course not," he said honestly, turning his head slightly to kiss Harry's palm. "I reckon most of them'll just laugh. Some money'll probably change hands. But they won't care," Eggsy said, watching as across the marquee his mum pulled Roxy into a tipsy hug, Gazzy and Percy took sedately to the dancefloor, and James tried valiantly but failed to get Merlin to tango, "not as long as I'm happy."

"Good. Then we have nothing to worry about. For now though, I feel as though we went about this whole thing backwards," Harry let go of Eggsy's face and held out his hand to him instead, "would you care to dance?"

Eggsy grinned and set his drink down to take the offered hand. "Fuck yes."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The end! Once again a reminder that I paraphrased some of the dialogue from the film, so those parts are definitely not my property. Thanks for your support guys, and I hope you got a few laughs out of this travesty <3


End file.
